Choices
by Bethanay
Summary: An average life for an average girl, until fate decides to step in. Taken from her known world, Mia is kidnapped and brought to a new one with no hope for return. With a little help from our favorite shinobi, she adjusts. But if she could would she leave?
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: Hi! So I was bored in psych class and this is the result of that. I know the prologue seems boring (cause there aren't Naruto characters in it) but it is kind of important. Usually, I don't like OC's or AU's but this one just seemed like a good idea. **

**Warning: M for language, some violence and eventually sexual suggestion. POSSIBLE lemon if people review and request. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Disney. Ugh, wouldn't that just be the coolest, though? Oh but I do own my OC, so please don't steal her.**

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><p><strong>Choices<strong>

Prologue: No POV

Mia sat on her bed, trying to study for her AP Art History exam and failing miserably; her attention drawn away from her study guide to her TV.

She knew better than to study with the TV on, but the lure of her favorite movie was too strong. She just couldn't deny herself the joy of watching Beauty and the Beast, even if she cried like a baby whenever she saw it. Her friends joked that someone her age shouldn't like a Disney movie that much, but she didn't care.

Seventeen-year-old Mia Garviano loved the impossibility of Beauty and the Beast; the tale of two lovers that shouldn't have been, but were. How they beat their adversaries and the odds. She also adored the character of the Beast. She loved how, even though his physical appearance hindered him, he was able to rediscover and accept his humanity. He showed that love isn't only for the handsome prince or prom queen.

More than that, she found hope for herself in the movie. Belle was an average woman who wished for more from life and not only got more, but also found love. True, Belle was very pretty and smart, but she was more like normal girls than most movie heroines. Mia found comfort in that. She thought herself too average, and that thought bothered her.

Mia wasn't a loner, but she wasn't popular by any stretch of imagination. Her friends accepted her, with all her sarcasm and quirky-ness, but more often than not people just didn't understand.

All too often, people would laugh at the way she was always drawing something, charcoal covering her hands and arms, and sometimes her face. Worse was when they would take her sketches away from her and post them around the school.

Mia always thought in pictures, and found it easier to communicate that way too. Often, her daydreams ended up on paper, especially if she was in class. Being a teenage girl, one who was hooked on romance novels, most of her daydreams included boys, sometimes shirtless ones. So it became an issue when such images were seen around school. Luckily, she never drew anyone she knew.

'Whatever' Mia thought with a sigh as she slid off her bed. 'Let them laugh. They can't hurt me anymore. I have more fun when I draw than they ever will'

Slamming her textbook shut a bit too forcefully, Mia walked over to the full-length mirror that hung on the back of her door.

The setting sun cast light into her room, causing her blond highlights to shine in her layered brown locks. Said hair waved gently to the middle of her back, but stuck out in several directions, looking like permanent bed-head. Messy, but Mia liked it.

'Avant Guard' she thought. She especially loved the way her bangs framed her face, covering her left eye and hiding some of her round rosy cheeks. By hiding some of it, Mia thought her average face became more alluring.

Mia didn't think her face was ugly; it just wasn't a face you would remember, or notice even. Too often she would find herself being a wallflower, not by choice, but because she was so unnoticeable.

In the mirror, Mia's eyes found themselves. They were nicely shaped, big almond eyes, but the color always made Mia angry. Her eyes were green, but not the pretty emerald green everyone thinks of. They were a dark, dirty green, with flecks of brown playing at the edges. Her eyes looked like a forest on a dark day, after someone got lost in it. Since they were so dark, and no one paid attention to her, most people said she had brown eyes. Mia hated that most of all, though she never understood why.

Letting her examining gaze fall from her eyes, Mia looked at her body. Though she still felt uncomfortable about it, she had to admit for 5'5", she had a nice shape. She wasn't a stick, but her hourglass figure accented her tiny waist and her round bust.

Best though, in Mia's mind, were her legs. Long for her body, they were lean and curvy, the muscles well defined after years of horseback riding.

A soft buzzing took Mia's attention toward the bag next to the door. Grabbing the cell phone that lay on top, she slid her thumb across the screen to open the text.

As she read, her large almond eyes widened.

"Shit!" She exclaimed. Lunging for her bag, she ran out of her room and was out of the house faster than she could believe. She had completely forgotten to go grocery shopping. Usually not a problem since she and her dad liked take-out, tonight was the once in a blue moon that her mom planned on coming home early to cook.

She managed to make it five blocks to the grocery store in record time. Instead of a chain store, this one was a neighborhood mom and pop store, so they closed early. Walking briskly down the isles, Mia gathered the ingredients her mom needed, and may or may not have left out ones that didn't suit her taste. While Mia liked stuffed lasagna, spinach did not have a place there.

After she paid, Mia's pace slowed along with her heart rate. She couldn't run with all the groceries anyway, so she figured she might as well enjoy her walk. It was April and the weather was mild, the last rays of sun warming her skin through her long sleeve tee.

About a block from home, Mia felt the air had a certain chill to it that had nothing to do with the weather. Something wasn't right. She couldn't put her finger on it, but living in the city all her life, she knew to trust her instinct.

Without turning around or giving herself away, Mia looked over her shoulder and sure enough, she saw a figure a few feet behind her. Picking up the pace ever so slightly, Mia rounded the nearest corner and waited for the person to pass.

But he never did. Mia peaked her head around the building to see if the person crossed the street, but that way was empty too.

"Looking for someone?"

Mia jumped. The man was so close, she could feel his breath on the back of her neck, making her back arch.

'How the hell-'

Mia was just about to turn around and give the creep a good kick in the groin, but she wasn't fast enough. She felt a sharp pain, and then every thing when dark.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! Review please!<strong>


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hey guys! So I was bored in my psych class, and this is the result. I usually don't like the whole "fangirl falls into Naruto universe" but my character isn't a fangirl and I actually developed a plot to all this so I decided to I've it a shot. Review please . **

**Warning: This is rated M for language and sexual suggestions. POSSIBLE lemons if people review and request them. **

**DISCAIMER: I don't own Naruto or anything in italics. If I did, damn, I would have so much fun.**

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><p>Chapter One: Mia POV<p>

"Ugh"

My head felt like a truck decided to run over it multiple times. Ow. Make that a truck full of anvils.

"Finally awake, are we?"

The voice filtered through my pounding head. It wasn't a deep voice, it was actually very smooth, but my somewhat inebriated reasoning told me that this voice demanded respect. For some reason, it was familiar.

I opened my eyes slowly. The room was dark, so I couldn't see the body the voice belonged to. It was unsettling, knowing I wasn't alone, yet not being able to see who was there. At least there wasn't a bright light to make my migraine worse.

'Great, Mia. That's it, just look for the damn silver lining' I silently chastised myself. 'You're in a dark room somewhere with a creepy guy you don't know and can't see. Focus dumbass!'

Attempting to stand, I felt sharp metal bite into the soft flesh around my ankles and wrists. The bindings that somehow escaped my notice were attached to the stone floor by chains that were just long enough to let me sit up. After realizing this, I did the only sensible thing; I tried to break them.

"I suggest you just sit still like a good girl. Struggling is pointless; escape is impossible."

My head snapped to my left as it followed the sound of the voice; my mind registering where I heard it before. This is the asshole that snuck up behind me! He actually managed to knock me out and bring me here. I'm no lightweight, so he must be strong.

My eyes, having adjusted to the darkness, were able to trace the outline of the man, and as he got closer, I was finally able to see him.

The body that the voice belonged to was, well, odd for lack of better term. He was average height with a mop of black hair. An obnoxiously bright orange mask hid his entire face, with the exception of one eye, and his body was covered by a black cloak with red clouds adorning it.

Was he serious? If you kidnap someone, chain her, and are wear a mask while doing it, at least make it intimidating or scary. His looked like one of those lame paper Mache masks kids wear on Halloween. And the cloak just screamed _Harry Potter_ knock off.

Too busy mentally being a fashion police, I didn't notice the guy move toward me to grab my chin in his hand.

"Don't worry, girl. It'll all be over soon." He promised

I could hear the smirk in his voice. His tone and his implications sent shivers down my spine. God, I hated power-tripping tools, and this guy was one step below _Jersey Shore_. I was scared shitless, but my damn pride would never let me allow this ass to know it. I looked him right in the eye and gave him my strongest "bitch, don't even" glare.

Well, I tried to, anyway. The eye I stared into was blood read. Not like cheap color contacts red, but real red. I was shocked, and I could feel my glare break as I stared at his eye. I wanted so badly to look away, but looking away meant weakness. I would not be seen as weak.

A small, dark chuckle echoed under the mask as the man stood up and turned around. With powerful strides he made his way to the edge of the room and opened a door I hadn't seen before.

'Damn, just how many things was I totally oblivious to?' I thought angrily

The man's smooth voice whispered something as he paused in the threshold, but the words were too low to make out. He left, closing the door, and leaving me in the darkness.

"God, this sucks"

My voice echoed pathetically, reminding me of my solitude.

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><p>My wrists hurt like a bitch and I began to feel warm liquid slowly trickle down into my palm. Shit. If something didn't give, I'd end up bleeding to death before Mr. Wacko could kill me. I know he said escape was impossible, but bad guys always say that. I didn't think the psycho freak actually meant it!<p>

After pulling at my restraints for what felt like an hour, all I was rewarded with were exhaustion and bloody wrists that stained my clothes. If I ever get out of here, that bastard is so going to pay for ruining my shirt.

"Yea right, hon, like you could ever make him do anything" I sighed, defeated.

For all my tough talk, I knew I was done. No one knew where I was. I didn't even know where I was. Even if by some miracle I managed to break free and escape the creeper, I wouldn't know where to go. I could practically hear my mom yelling that I should have been more careful.

Thinking about my family, I closed my eyes and lowered my head until it touched the hard ground. I felt my heart clench as I thought of my mom, nagging and annoying, always ready with the best advice. My overprotective dad whose so caring, and kind. That dork I call my older brother. He's a bully, a brute, a best friend.

How long have I been gone? Have they noticed yet? I know they'll worry when they figure it out. Hell, if I know my old man, half the local firehouse will be out looking for me. But what if they can't find me?

My eyes began to burn at the thought and I could see the tears forming, blurring my vision. A single brave drop of saline pushed over and slid down my face.

"NO" I said, my voice strong and clear, resonating in the darkness. I wasn't that little crybaby anymore. I refused to be one now. I'll cry when I am dead, and I didn't plan on dying any time soon.

BAM!

I jumped as far as the bindings would let me, my poor heart threatening to beat right out of my chest.

"What the fuck!" I exclaimed. The walls around me shook with extreme force and dust from the ceiling fell on me. The crash sounded like a building caved in, and in came from above me.

'Am I in a basement?'

I looked up, squinting through the dust at the ceiling, as if I suddenly had x-ray vision that would allow me to see what was going on. There was more banging, though not as loud as the first. I though I could make out footsteps, but there were too many other sounds to be sure. I sat there for a while, listening to the crashes and thuds above me wondering what the hell was going on when, suddenly, they all stopped.

The lack of other sounds allowed me to make out voices. I couldn't hear words or tones, but people were talking, and none of them were Mr. Wacko.

"Please don't come down here. Please." I muttered so silently I could barely hear it. Not that I didn't want to be found, but I wanted to make sure I was found by the right people, and that ruckus didn't sound like it was make by the right people.

Sure enough, not two seconds later, the footsteps are coming closer, and they are coming fast.

'Just my damn luck' I thought bitterly a second before the door opened, the bright light blinding me.

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><p><strong>Whew. So I started chapter two, so it should be up soon, probably by next week. R&amp;R please. <strong>

**I know I put the story under Gaara. He'll appear soon, don't worry **


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: WOW! People actually read my story! So happy! Oh, just wanted to give you guys a heads up, there are going to be other pairings besides Gaara/OC, and yes, some of them will be yaoi. Maybe with a lemon if i get enough reviews;) so prepare yourselves! Okay on with the story! Chapter 2!**

**WARNING: M for language and later sexual suggestion. POSSIBLE lemon if requested. **

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing besides my OC**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Mia POV<strong>

I swung my head; trying to avoid the light as best I could, my hair falling around me like a curtain. Whoever opened the door had yet to walk in.

After a few endless moments, I opened my eyes to a slit, just enough to see a boy, about my age, just standing in the doorway, frozen. Our eyes locked, neither knowing what to do.

"Uh…I-"

"Naruto! What's taking so long?" a loud, abrasive female voice called. Footsteps shortly followed, making it clear that she wasn't going to wait for the boy, Naruto, to answer.

"Naruto-baka! What are you doing? Let's go!"

Naruto turned to look at the girl. It sounded like she was right outside the door, but I couldn't see her.

"Huh? Sakura-chan? I was-oh right! Sakura-chan, you gotta come and help!" he answered. Took him long enough.

He leaned forward, his right arm extending out of my sight. When he pulled back, his hand was curled around a slender, pale wrist, pulling the girl with him. Finally she turned into the doorway.

"Oh my god!"

Faster than I could blink, the girl was at my side. I tensed up, not liking the proximity.

"Why the hell didn't you get these chains off her!" she yelled at the boy. "Useless idiot. It's going to be okay." she said reassuringly, I assume to me, although she never looked at me.

She grabbed the chain around my left wrist and broke it. Wait, what! Did this chick actually break a fucking metal chain! I've been at it for an hour and it wouldn't budge! That-that's some inhuman strength. Damn I gotta learn that one.

Meanwhile, Naruto, after flubbing an attempt at a response, ran to my other side, breaking those chains as well. What did these guys eat and where can I get some?

From what I could gather, these two clearly didn't expect to find a girl tied up in the basement. Maybe I could trust them enough to get me outta here. But before I went anywhere, I wanted to know where my little masked friend went. I have seen to many slasher flicks to be the dumbass who gets killed because they didn't make sure the bad guy was actually out for the count. Zombieland was right. Double tap is key.

Finished with my chains, Naruto looked up at me and put a hand on my back. For the first time since I woke up, I felt my muscles relax ever so slightly. I could actually feel the heat coming off him, and it was pretty comforting. He smiled at me, taking my guard down even more. I guess he was one of those naturally kind people; the ones that have a way of putting others at ease. Okay, I can trust them after all.

Since he was so close, I decided to take a better look at the guy. He had beach boy blonde hair that went in every direction. It should have looked dorky, but it seemed to suit him. His large cerulean eyes were open and warm. He could easily be read like a book. Tan skin contrasted nicely with his lighter features. All in all, he just screamed Cali boy, except didn't have that surfer vibe to him.

"What happened to Creepy Mask Guy?" I asked quietly. If I whispered, my voice wouldn't shake.

"Eh! Oh, he got away. Again." Naruto's eyes filled with anger and he clenched his fists at his sides. Okay so they were definitely not in line with Mr. Wacko. I briefly wondered what he had done that Naruto was so shaken up over.

A faint green light took my attention away from Naruto and towards Sakura. She had moved around me so that now she sat next to Blondie. Her hands hovered a few inches off of my skin, and they were glowing. What the-

Naruto, seeing my confused expression, and misinterpreting it, smiled.

"Don't worry, dattebayo! Sakura-chan is the best med-nin I know!" Wow, can you say mood swing?

A small chuckle came from Sakura.

"Don't let Tsunade-sama hear that." She answered, a blush forming on her cream-pale skin.

As she worked, or whatever that glowing thing is called, her cropped pink locks fell into her face. I have a lot of respect for anyone who can pull off an unnatural color so well. It was a pretty, cherry blossom pink, and it matched her complexion well. It even looked good with her green eyes. Oh grrrr…Damn those green eyes! They are the perfect shade!

'Be nice, Mia. She's helping. I think. Though I wish she would stop with the glowing, its freaking me out.'

"There, I'm all done" Sakura said, wiping her brow as she stood up. Done? Done with what?

I looked down at my body and physically had to put my hand in my mouth to stop from screaming. Although my sleeves and jean cuffs were still stained with blood, my wrists and ankles showed no signs of injury! My skin was perfectly healed!

"H-how…What did…-" I was so in shock I couldn't even speak. Damn it Mia! Pull yourself together! I needed to regain my composure if I was gonna get outta here.

"I simply pooled my chakra into my hands and used it to heal you." Sakura said, shrugging her shoulders as if it were obvious. Okay, bio might not have been my best subject, but I'd have remembered if it were possible to make your hands glow and heal people in seconds when it should have taken weeks!

"Told ya she's the best, dattebayo!" Naruto said proudly, pulling me up so I was standing.

I didn't think these guys would do anything to hurt me, but that glow-y heal-y thing was just freaky! I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Finding the right words, I opened my eyes, looking directly at Sakura.

"That's not physically possible. You can't reverse injuries like that." I said, frowning when my voice cracked like a teenage boy's. "And what is 'chakra'?"

"Haha! What a silly question! Even civilians know about chakra!" Naruto said, trying to hold back laughter because, apparently, I've said the most hysterical thing he's ever heard. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Naruto" Sakura said, her guarded gaze never leaving mine. "I don't think she's joking."

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><p><strong>Sakura POV<strong>

The girl in front of her couldn't look more pissed off. Apparently, she didn't appreciate Naruto's laughter. Not that Sakura could blame her, but usually being rescued and healed did better things for one's mood.

Sakura was cautions now. Sure, she knew of some people who were quite ignorant of the shinobi ways, but everyone, literally everyone, knew what chakra was. Could she be one of Madara's spies, playing them in order to get close?

"What is your name?" the pink haired girl asked. Naruto's laughter stopped when he heard the tone in her voice. She could see her friend out of the corner of her eye, a bewildered expression on his face.

"Mia" the girl answered, crossing her arms over her chest. Sakura could see her shoulders tensing up as she shifted her weight. Was she seriously preparing for a fight?

"Just Mia?" Sakura taunted a bit. Who just gives their first name to a stranger?

"For right now, yea. You'll get the rest of my name when I decide I like your tone." Mia answered, a smirk playing on her lips. As she spoke, Sakura noticed a hint of an accent that she couldn't place.

"Where are you from?

"What are we playing twenty questions here?" Mia rolled her eyes. Twenty questions? Sakura had never heard of that game before. After a short pause Mia sighed. "I'm from Brooklyn."

Sakura scrunched her brow. Brooklyn? She had never heard of a village in the Land of Fire called Brooklyn, and the only people from outside that were nearby were ninjas. Ever so quietly, and without moving her lips, Sakura whispered to Naruto.

"Have you ever heard of that village?"

"No, but I don't think she's lying Sakura-chan. Look at her. She's too open to lie. She clearly wants to get out of here and to this Brooklyn place."

Sakura thought about this. The girl did look like she was being honest. She kept eye contact, and her gaze, while still confrontational, wasn't guarded, they way most ninjas' were. The kunoichi's thoughts were interrupted as Mia took a tentative step forward.

"Listen I don't wanna be rude. Thanks for helping me an all, but I should probably get home before my Ma flips a shit." She smiled, but it looked wrong; fake. She was smiling for them, to put them at ease. Sakura realized then that this girl wasn't lying; she couldn't lie. Her gaze softened slightly, smiling in return.

"Come with us. Our sensei and teammate are upstairs. I don't know where your village is, but our sensei might. We'll help you get home safe."

Sakura fell into place next to Mia with Naruto on the girl's other side, smiling and talking animatedly about Kakashi-sensei. Sakura couldn't help but notice the girl's unbelieving expression when she had said the work 'village'.

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><p><strong>Kakashi POV<strong>

Kakashi sighed as he knelt beside the pile of rubble. As much as he loved the knucklehead, his job would be substantially easier of Naruto used his brain every once in a while.

It was supposed to be routine patrol when Sai had noticed something strange. Not wanting his students (no matter how old they got those kids would always be his students) to go alone, he had tagged along.

Reaching the disturbance, Team seven found themselves outside a rather large cave that was illuminated inside by a strange purple glow. They had set up a plan to capture whoever it was inside, when Kakashi heard a voice that was undeniably Kabuto's. Suspecting Naruto's reaction, he turned around to try and restrain his pupil, but he wasn't fast enough.

'Huh' Kakashi sighed, remembering, 'He really is Sensei's son'

Naruto, being Naruto, charged into the cave, rasengan blazing, with no plan besides to beat Kabuto into telling him where Sasuke was. Too late, Naruto realized Kabuto wasn't alone. Uchiha Madara had appeared behind him and was about to attack, when Sai sent one of his ink tigers in, knowing that Madara could not attack while he de-solidified. Naruto, unfazed by this, continued his attack on Kabuto as Kakashi and Sakura went to corner off Madara. Unfortunately, Madara disappeared, taking Kabuto with him before Kakashi could seal him.

Figuring they could at least gather intel on what Madara had been doing, he sent his team to explore the rest of the cave. It appeared to Kakashi, though, that the only thing in the cave besides rocks was the single steel ring in front of him that Naruto had thoroughly managed to destroy. Whatever the purple glow had been disappeared after a well-placed rasengan smashed the steel into an unidentifiable shape.

"Kakashi-sensei, after searching through my section of the cave I have recovered nothing of consequence to our mission."

"Ah, thank you Sai" Kakashi answered as the pallid boy sat next to him. "Now we wait for the other two."

"I must say, while I find that I admire Naruto-kun's bravery to enter such danger, I find his thickness to be a hindering problem." Sai said, a sigh escaping from his lips.

Kakashi smiled at his newest student. "I quite agree. Our knuckle-headed ninja can cause quite the stir. But then again, he wouldn't be the same if he wasn't so forward."

Although he answered in his usual light tone, Kakashi couldn't help but think how close they had come to possibly avoiding another Great War. If only they had sealed Madara!

"Sai, since Madara is most likely not returning soon, could you go ahead and inform Tsunade-sama of what happened here?"

"Of course."

After scribbling on his scroll for a few seconds, an ink eagle appeared, and Sai soared off back towards base. Kakashi pulled his favorite book out of his pocket and began to read.

After waiting a bit, the man heard the tell tale footsteps announcing his remaining two teammates' approach. Kakashi slipped Icha Icha Paradise back into his vest and stood as he waiting for his students. But instead of two teens walking toward him, there were three. Based on the way Naruto was smiling and the way Sakura kept her hand at the girl's side, Kakashi saw they didn't see her as a threat.

"Well, I sent you two to find information, and you bring back a pretty girl!" Kakashi said lightly. He trusted Naruto and Sakura's judgment, but he wasn't sure what to think of this girl. He kept his eye on her as she raised an eyebrow at him in disbelief.

"Kakashi-sensei, you've been reading too many perverted books again. Stop trying to flirt and just listen." Sakura-chan sighed. Kakashi had been away from the pink haired girl for so long he forgot just how little patience she had with his flirting. How sad.

"This is Mia. She was kidnapped by Madara and tied up in the lower cavern of the cave. She isn't a kunoichi. She just wants to get home, but I don't know where her village is." Sakura-chan finished.

Kakashi looked over the girl again. Obviously she wasn't a kunoichi. Her arms had no muscle mass to speak of, and her clothes, tight pants and a long sleeve top, were not suited for any physical activity and allowed no place for hidden weapons. The Copy Cat nin felt a little foolish for not noticing before. But really, how old was this kid? Surely she knew how to get home?

Bending down a bit so he was level with the girl, he smiled, which could be seen behind his usual mask.

"Hello, Mia. My name is Hatake Kakashi. Why don't you tell me the name of your village and I'll see what I can do." He said. Damn his voice sounded almost too cheery that time.

The brunette girl smiled ever so wickedly at him. Oh shit. He had seen that smile only on one other person. Tsunade-sama gave that smile to her victims. Not even Sakura had managed to mimic it yet.

"Hello, Hatake Kakashi." Her voice matching his "Could you please stop treating me like a little brat who got lost in the market? I'm eighteen and can get home on my own, thank you very much." She finished, tilting her head to the side ever so slightly.

It took everything he had not to laugh. Call him a masochist, but Kakashi liked it when someone showed him up. With a new respect for the girl, Kakashi put his hands up in front of him, conceding to defeat.

"Haha, alright, I'm sorry. Why don't you just tell me where you live and I'll escort you home?"

"Kakashi-sensei, Mina-chan says she lives in Brooklyn, but neither Sakura-chan or I have heard of it. Do you know where it is? Naruto asked, his eyes concerned as he looked at the girl.

Kakashi swore he was able to see the kunai Mia was mentally throwing at the blonde ninja.

"Um, its Mia, genius, not Mina, and would you guys stop calling it a village. Everyone knows Brooklyn's one of the burrows; part of the city." When she talked in her regular voice, which was deep and full for a girl, Kakashi picked up a hint of an accent.

Kakashi frowned, looking at Sakura, who nodded at him. He of course, had never heard of this place, but something stopped him from calling Mia a liar. After a silent conversation with the pink haired medic-nin, Kakashi began to question the girl.

"Mia-chan, could you tell me how you got here?" Kakashi asked.

The girl sighed, slipping her hands into her pockets.

"I was on my way home from the grocer when I felt something wasn't right. I looked over my shoulder and saw someone behind me. He gave me the creeps, so I turned the next corner and waited for him to pass, but he never did. Next thing I know, he's behind me and knocked me out. I woke up down there," she gestured to the lower caverns with her thumb, "and Mr. Wacko said the usual 'escape is futile' speech, then said something about it all being over soon. Then you guys showed up."

"Mr. Wacko?" Kakashi asked, his eyebrows knitting together at the unusual name.

"Yea, the dude with the bad Halloween mask." Mia answered

"You said the 'usual escape is futile speech.' Do you get kidnapped often?"

This earned Kakashi the most exasperated and confused look of his life. Had he seen it anywhere else, it would have been down right hysterical.

"No! Do I look like dumbass to you? In every fricken movie, the villain tells the damsel in distress that trying to escape is pointless."

"Huh" was all he was able to say in response. After thinking for a moment, he decided he wanted to hear Sakura's opinion on the situation.

"Naruto, Mia-chan, can you excuse me for a moment. Sakura-chan, come here, please."

Kakashi made sure Naruto was entertaining their new friend before diverting his attention to Sakura. He knew this girl wasn't an idiot and that she was aware whom he and Sakura were discussing, so he needed to make sure Naruto had an eye on her.

"Kakashi-sensei, they way she talks is strange, and she says things that make no sense. I have never heard of Brooklyn, or Halloween, and she says them as if they are everyday things. She was also very distressed when I was healing her, and she doesn't know what chakra is" Sakura said. Her head was bent, but he could see her brow bent in concentration, trying to figure out the puzzle in front of her.

"Yes, it is strange. Perhaps our friend is under a genjutsu." Kakashi contemplated the possibility of his statement. It would fit her symptoms, but why would Madara cast a genjutsu like this? It had no purpose if the girl wasn't a kunoichi. Unless she was and her skills and memory were being repressed?

'Ugh, too much thinking too early.' Kakashi thought.

"Should we leave her here?" Sakura asked, looking pale at the suggestion. Kakashi understood her reluctance to accept this option. While the girl wasn't the most polite creature, her honesty made her quite likable, and even though she tried to mask it, her discomfort was obvious. No, Kakashi did not want to leave Mia on her own, where she might once again run into Madara.

"No." he said. "Genjutsu or not, it will be safer for everyone if we bring her back to base. Maybe Inoichi will be able to tell if she is in fact under Madara's control."

As Kakashi and Sakura returned to the other two, they tried to keep their tones and expressions light. However, the Copy Nin couldn't help but feel a ball of guilt in his stomach when he saw a glimmer of fear in Mia's green eyes.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey! Sorry for the late update. This chapter took forever to get right. Just want to clarify something. I started this before catching up in the manga, so there are some inconsistencies, but you know, thats why it's a fanfic. I can do what I want here :p *EVIL LAUGH* **

**Kiba: Yea yea, enough with the laughing. We all know your too soft to be evil.**

**Bethanay: Oh, i'm too soft, am I? **

**Kiba: Uh-oh**

**Bethanay: Is Kiba in a dress evil enough, or should i have him do something really embarrassing?**

**Kiba: NO! Help me!**

**Bethanay: Bwahahaha!**

**Warning: Strong language and future lemon. I will warn you when lemon happens so don't have to read it if you don't want to.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for Mia.**

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><p><strong>Mia POV<strong>

True, I'm have never been the most even tempered person, and I was never known for my patience. But damn if these three weren't trying their best just to tick me off!

After making sure I was all right, Naruto preceded to talk my ear off about how he couldn't wait to finally leave base, whatever that was, and get home. Yea, real smart thing to say to the kidnap victim. The idiot. Apparently there was this place he's been dying to go to, some ramen stand or something. He just wouldn't shut up about it! If he hadn't been so nice before, I swear I would have beaten him into the ground right there. How could someone so sweet be so stupid?

It was painfully obvious he was trying to distract me from noticing that Kakashi and Sakura had decided to have their own little private conversation. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what they were talking about. It did take one to figure out why the hell they didn't just point me in the direction of the nearest subway station. I couldn't be THAT far from home.

I was starting to get very anxious, fear swelling in the pit of my stomach. Ignoring Naruto completely, I thought about the events of the day. Kidnapped, tied up, saved and magically healed by two kids no older than myself, and neither them or their teammate seemed to know where how to get me back to a borough of the biggest city on the east coast. Something didn't add up, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what was going on. It's like these three were from a different planet or something.

After a few more minutes ignoring Naruto's endless rant about ramen, Kakashi and Sakura finally returned.

"Well, Mia-chan, I'm afraid I wont be much help to you, but I do know a few people who will be." The white-haired man said, his one visible eye creasing in a smile. What is it with people around here and only having one eye? At least Kakashi's wasn't blood red.

"They aren't too far. We should be able to get back before nightfall" he added

I didn't really like the idea of going to meet Kakashi's "friends", but then again, I probably didn't have much of a choice. Whoever they were, they were my best bet to getting home.

I followed the three of them out of the cave, the late afternoon sun warming my skin, but not my insides.

I guess my unease showed, because next thing I knew, Sakura was by my side.

"Don't worry." she whispered low enough so the others couldn't hear. "You're going to be fine."

I looked at her. Not that she was a bad person, but my first impression of Sakura was that she was one tough bitch, so it was a bit surprising hearing her try to comfort me. It made me smile a bit, realizing she was a bit gentler than I first imagined.

"Thanks" I whispered back, trying to put as much sentiment as I could in the single word.

"Alright," Kakashi said loudly, his voice interrupting our girl bonding moment. "We'll get there faster if I carry you, Mia-chan. Is that okay with you?"

I nodded, wondering why the hell we would walk somewhere and why carrying me would be easier for anyone. I figured I might not want to know the answer after everything I saw today.

Kakashi stepped over to me, grabbed my arm, and swung me onto his back with ease. I grabbed his broad shoulders for support and he locked his arms under my knees. Once he saw I was settled, he moved.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" I screamed as loud as I could, which wasn't too loud considering I couldn't take a breath.

Kakashi had run two paces, then jumped twenty feet in the air, landing nimbly on a branch. He looked over his shoulder at me.

"Are you okay?" he questioned, seeming confused by my reaction.

"Y-You just-!" I began, but then gave up. "Never mind. I'm fine." I mumbled.

I let go of any sense of reality and physical laws I knew, because clearly, they didn't apply to people here, where ever 'here' was. Sakura's hands glowed green and could magically heal people and Kakashi can jump impossible heights in a single leap. When did I enter an X-men comic!

Kakashi shrugged and leaped again, forward to the next branch. This time, however, he didn't stop. He used his momentum and pushed off harder, gaining speed.

I clenched his shoulders tighter and buried my face between his shoulder blades. I wasn't afraid of heights. Hell, I'm a regular roller coaster junkie. But roller coasters are on tracks, not very weak looking branches.

"Oi! Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto's voice sounded very close, but I didn't look up to find out where he was.

"You might wanna slow down! Mika-chan looks like she's about to pass out!"

I grumbled into Kakashi's back. Damn this kid was really pushing it. I might not be able to fly through the trees like Tarzan, but I was not going to pass out.

Lifting my head, I looked through the tendrils of brown hair billowing around me until I found Naruto, running on the branches the same way Kakashi was, a few paces behind.

"It's Mia, dumbass! Try it, its only three letters! M-I-A! And I am NOT going to pass out, thank you very much!"

"Sorry, Mia-chan." Naruto said, his eyes cast down, looking more like a sad puppy than any teenage boy had a right too. Oh, god, I'm a sucker for doe eyes.

"It's all right." I grumbled, ashamed for being defenseless to the cuteness.

As I nestled my head against Kakashi's back once more, I felt gentle laughter run through him.

"It's not funny." I mumbled just loud enough for him to hear. I hated people laughing at me, and I was very glad he couldn't see the blush I felt creeping over my cheeks.

After about an hour of tree-jumping, I felt Kakashi jump down from the branch. I bit down on my lip to stop from screaming at the rush of adrenalin from the free fall.

"We're here." Kakashi said quietly.

I lifted my head and gently slid off his back. Looking around, I could see we stood at the edge of a circular clearing. It was filled with large tents that formed a kind of city, and were sectioned off by color. I could see the further towards the center, the tents became fewer and larger. There were several small clearings behind the tent city that were completely empty.

Men and women, who wore the same black pants with white wrappings and thick green vests as Kakashi, were running back and forth. A few who were closer to the edge saw us and greeted Kakashi briefly before their eyes swept over me, their expressions guarded.

Unconsciously, I moved closer to the man next to me, almost hiding behind him. I didn't like the way the others looked at me, like I was something undesirable that needed to be removed, or worse, examined. I wasn't sure how well I could trust Kakashi, but I believed at the very least he wouldn't hurt me.

Thump

Feeling the light pressure on my head, I looked up. The white haired man placed his hand over my head, petting my hair gently without meeting my gaze. I usually hated when people, usually my brother, did this, but I could feel Kakashi's concern. I let it slide this time, warmed by the fact that he wanted to comfort me.

"Sakura-chan, Naruto" he called, tilting his head slightly over his shoulder, his hand still resting on my head.

I looked behind me to see the other two drop down from the trees. Maybe I should've been more concerned about the fact that Kakashi heard them before they landed, but for my own sanity, I ignored it.

"Go clean up. I'm taking Mia-chan to the kages. We'll be back soon." Kakashi said nonchalantly.

"'Kay! See ya, Mia-chan!" Naruto yelled brightly, already running towards the red section of tents. I smiled just a bit, glad that he finally got my name right. Sakura gave a small wave of her own before following Naruto.

"Ready?" Kakashi asked, finally looking down at me. Damn he was tall! My neck began to hurt from looking up.

"As I'll ever be." I answered, still not sure if the kages will be my salvation or my damnation.

Kakashi's hand slid from my head to rest around my shoulders and used it to gently guide me through the maze of people and tents. I walked with strong, sure steps, my head high, my eyes straight ahead, ignoring the stares from the people we passed. Just like freshman year. Joy.

'I must really stick out, huh?' I wondered.

Judging from what I could see from the corners of my vision, most people around me were in those same clothes, very different from my bright, slightly bloody, long sleeve pink tee and jeans that were caked in paint after years of using them as a smock. Yea, I didn't blend very well.

Finally, we arrived at the dead center of the clearing and walked into a tent that was large enough to hold a three-ring circus.

Sadly, there was no circus inside. It was just a meeting room. Men stood along three of the walls, their eyes trained on me. There was a semicircular table that curved around the far end, with five people sitting at it.

'I'm guessing they're the kages. They must be the brains of this whole operation.'

Kakashi lead me to the center of the room, directly in front of the table and introduced me. Five pairs of eyes scrutinized my every move as Kakashi explained what happened in the caves with Mr. Wacko, whose real name was Uchiha Madara.

I tuned out Kakashi's voice as I looked at each of the five in turn. There were three men and two women all wearing the similar robes. One woman wore a blue robe and had long burnt orange hair and a pretty face. The other, a blonde, kept her red robe open, revealing a green top and pants and one hell of a rack. Damn. Usually I was okay with my body, but her proportions would make even Barbie jealous.

One of the men was really old and small, with a bulbous nose and beady eyes. His robe was green. The second man had a dull yellow robe and bore a strange resemblance to the Hulk, but had white-blonde hair and deep tan, not green, skin. The third man was actually more of a boy. He looked my age, maybe a bit older, with striking red hair and deep teal eyes that contrasted with the white of his robe. He kept his hands folded in front of him, blocking the rest of his face.

I had been so focused on the people in front of me I didn't realize that Kakashi had finished speaking.

"Mia-chan?" he asked expectantly.

Shit. What did he say?

"Huh?" Great. The only response I can come up with is 'huh?' What a way to make a first impression for very powerful people.

"Tsk, honestly girl, are you stupid? Stop wasting our time. Either say your piece or get out." The old man said, his voice full of distain.

He didn't just say that, did he? I didn't care how powerful he was, if he didn't knock it off, he was going to get hurt.

"I'm very sorry for wasting your time," I said, my voice sickly sweet and saturated with sarcasm. "But if you'll please stop wasting mine and just tell me how to get outta here, I'll be more than happy to leave."

"Why you little-"

"Oh, hush up, Onoki." The woman in the blue robes silenced the old man. She then turned to me.

"Where is it you would go, Mia-chan, if we were to help you?" She asked, her voice matching mine in sweetness, but I could hear her power underneath it.

"Home" I said simply. Unlike gramps, this woman wasn't downright disrespectful, so I held back from adding the obvious 'duh'. Gosh, I was starting to understand just how Dorothy felt after landing in Oz. Could I have my ruby slippers now, please?

"And where is your home?"

I sighed. After my conversations with Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi, I knew where this was going. I was a stranger who was found with a known enemy and was talking about a place no one has ever heard of. Hell, I don't know if I'd even believe me at this point. All I could hope for was that they would hear my sincerity.

"I live in Brooklyn, New York."

They weren't buying it. I could see Old Man Onoki shaking his head while the woman in blue narrowed her eyes at me. The Hulk was looking at me with distrust, and neither the blonde woman nor the boy let on what they were thinking.

Damn it, if I didn't convince them now, I might never get out.

"Look," I started, my voice calm and even, trying to see if I can talk my way out. "I know you guys don't trust me, and I don't blame you for that, but I am telling you the truth."

"Why should we just take you for your word?" the Hulk asked, crossing his arms so that, even under the robe, his massive muscles could be seen.

Wow, he was scary. Scary, and pushing my last button. I was tired, stressed, freaked out, sore, and these guys were only making it worse. I could almost physically feel my patience slip away. Oh well, if I'm screwed anyway, I might as well do it right.

"Today I woke up in chains, was threatened by a psycho in a mask, who by all rights should have his own horror film, was saved by a girl whose hands glow when she magically heals people, was brought here by a guy who can jump twenty feet in the air and run on trees without breaking a sweat, and now I'm being questioned by the head honchos. I wanna go home and forget any of this ever happened before I go bat-shit crazy. Now you tell me, why the fuck would I lie to you people!

I was panting. I couldn't get enough air into my lungs after my little screaming rant. My ragged breaths were the only noise in the room apart from the few shocked gasps coming from the men along the walls.

Okay, maybe, just maybe, I shouldn't have cursed out the five most powerful people here. Damn. Hopefully one day I'll be able to think before I speak and control my temper. Then again, maybe Hell would freeze over and the SATs would be easy.

"Hmmm." The small noise brought me out of my train of thought. I focused on the blonde woman who made it.

"Inoichi" she called, twirling one of her low pigtails around her finger.

Behind her, a man with a long blonde ponytail stepped forward.

"Yes, Hokage-sama?" He asked

"Search her mind."

Wait, what? Now they had mind readers too? Not that I had anything to hide, but there are some personal thoughts up in there. No matter how much I wanted to prove myself, this just didn't feel right. I'm sure I'm not the only girl who didn't want some stranger pawing around up in her private life.

The man walked toward me, his arm outstretched. Each stepped he took forward, I took one back.

"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you." He said quietly.

Yea, that's what they all said. But looking around, I knew I didn't have another choice. If I refused to let him in, the others would see it as proof I was hiding something. Resigning with I sigh, I relaxed my shoulders and stepped into his hand. I tried to focus my thoughts on home. I thought of my family, my street, my school, my friends and me hanging out in the city every weekend.

After a moment, the man backed away and looked me dead in the eyes. For the first time that day, the gaze wasn't full of apprehension or distrust. It was full of wonder, and it brightened his face a lot, making him look a lot less intimidating.

"Amazing." He whispered.

"Inoichi?" Hokage-sama asked.

The man turned to face the blonde woman.

"There is no trace of a genjutsu on her. What she says about who she is and where she is from is true." He paused for a moment, and then continued, his voice softer, less business-like. "There is a reason she was confused when Kakashi called her home a village. It is like nothing I have ever seen before."

"Woah!" I exclaimed. "You could actually see the places I was thinking about? I thought it was just going to be like mind reading stuff." I said. I wasn't totally confortable about this Inoichi, but he didn't seem so bad.

"Yes. It is my kekkei genkai." He smiled

"Riiight" I said, exaggerating the 'i'. "'Cause I know what that is." I finished, the sarcasm finding it's way back into my voice, although this time it wasn't mean.

It looked as if he was about to explain when Hokage-sama cleared her throat and turned to the old man.

"Onoki"

"Yes, Tsunade-hime, I know." He said slowly, rubbing his chin, thinking. "The question, though, is how. And why." Old Man Onoki snapped his head up suddenly. "Girl!" he said loudly to get my attention.

"You know my name, old man." I said, a little more defiantly than I should have, although my reaction earned a chuckle from Kakashi and a few others in the room.

"Fine, then." The little man said, his brow twitching from what I assumed was annoyance. "Impudent Child, did Madara say why he took you?" He asked.

Although he kept a pretty good poker face, I could see the corners of his wrinkled mouth turn upwards from my new name. I briefly wondered how much trouble I'd get in if I socked him in the face. I wondered if he'd even be able to do anything about it.

"No, he didn't." I answered, deciding that attacking him would probably be detrimental to my situation at the moment. I mentally patted my back at my self-control. It did exist! Who knew?

"It could have just been-" Hokage-sama started

"But we can't just assume. Not when Madara is involved." The Hulk said over her.

"Then what should we do with her?"

"She's not our responsibility." Onoki said shortly

"I agree, but-" the woman in blue began

They continued like that for a while, never fully finishing their sentences, cutting one another off. It was like half of their conversation was through a psychic connection or something. How the hell was I supposed to know what's going on if they refuse to be coherent?

I waited for them to finish, but they never did. With the exception of the red-haired boy, the kages continued to talk over each other and bicker worse than my family did. And that's saying something; we've got three lawyers in the family. Once again, my patience faltered and my small self-control left me. It worked once today, maybe a second bout of rage might do some good.

'Oh, fuck this.'

I took a deep breath and screamed.

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><p><strong>Gaara POV<strong>

The kazekage was pulled from his train of thought by the piercing scream coming from the girl in front of him. The others had stopped their conversation.

The girl opened her eyes, crossed her arms, and glared brazenly into each of the kages' eyes, coming to his last. He glared back at her just as intensely. He could tell by her previous outbursts that she was one to challenge authority. He didn't want her to think she could push him the way she did the Tsuchikage.

However, Gaara could feel some of his intensity fade the longer he looked into her deep green eyes. She broke the gaze, turning to face the Hokage, and Gaara shook his head slightly in an attempt to clear his head.

"Now that I have your attention, would one of you please tell me what the hell is going on?" Mia said shortly, not hiding the annoyance in her clear voice.

"How dare you-" the Tsuchikage began, only to be cut off once again by the Mizukage.

"Onoki, stop. The poor girl has been through enough to day with out you yelling at her." She said with a pout. The older man grumbled something about respecting elders, but kept it to himself.

The Hokage looked at the girl in the center of the room and began to explain what they had been talking about. A few weeks ago, Uchiha Sasuke's companion, Karin, was taken to Konohakagure. There, she gave the Hokage some of Madara's notes relating to the development of a new jutsu. A jutsu that would create a wormhole, ultimately controlling time and space.

"It is more than possible that during an attempt to preform this jutsu, the wormhole he created linked into your space; your world." She finished

Mia thought for a moment, one fist pressed against her lips, the other arm wrapped around her waist, her brows bent in concentration.

"So you're saying," she started slowly, "that using this…technique, Madara was able to enter my world and bring me back to his. So, this is like an alternate dimension?"

"That's exactly what it is. Your world and ours exist on different planes of space. There are actually more than just our two." The Tsuchikage stated.

"What?" the two female kages asked in unison.

"We had known about the existence of one other dimension for a while, but only recently found others. We had yet to further our research, so the information has yet to be released." The old man said simply.

"Wait, if this jutsu thing attaching to my world was an accident, why would Madara kidnap me?"

"In all likely hood, he was testing to see if he could stretch the jutsu and transport others with him. It was just your bad luck that you were near by." The Hokage said, sadness on the edge of her voice.

Silence filled the room once more, each person consumed in their own thoughts. Gaara contemplated the consequences of this new jutsu. Madara could already dematerialize, making attacking him extremely difficult. Attacking while he could also manipulate time and space would be impossible. In addition, he could also use the jutsu to move his army anywhere in literally no time at all. Gaara felt his stomach drop when he thought of the odds they were up against.

"Well if you have his notes, couldn't you guys just use this jutsu to make another wormhole to send me home?" Mia asked. Gaara was surprised as her voice became higher, full of hope, more like a child's.

"No" the Raikage answered shortly, but without his previous harshness.

"His notes were incomplete. We don't know enough to preform the jutsu properly, and if it is done improperly, the results could be disastrous."

"Oh" was all the girl could say.

Gaara rested his chin on his hands and looked at Mia. He could see on her face she was struggling to accept what they were telling her. It was a lot to take in, he admitted to himself. Although he thought her to be immature in the way she handled herself before, he admired the strength she showed now. There was certainly more to this girl than her short temper and inappropriate speech. Gaara wondered just how much more there was and how much Madara wanted to know.

At that thought, he sat up and spoke for the first time.

"I think it would be best if Mia stayed here, on base. At least until we have more information." He said calmly.

"Stupid boy" the Tsuchikage spat. "We can't afford to have a civilian girl wandering around, disrupting things. Especially a civilian girl as strange as her."

"Hey-!" said strange girl began to protest, but Gaara cut her off.

"Madara might come back for the girl. It only makes sense that we keep him from her, and this base is the most secure location. As to her being a civilian, she handled herself well enough today, everything considered. I think she'll be able to adjust to living with shinobi, and shinobi rules."

Gaara noticed Mia's eyes narrow at him at that last bit. He allowed himself the smallest smile at her reaction to his indirect critique.

After a moment, the Raikage spoke up.

"I agree with the Kazekage."

"I also support this decision," the Hokage concurred. "but, I think it would be wise for Mia to have a shinobi watch over her."

"I take it you have someone in mind, Tsunade." The Mizukage stated.

"Yes. Inuzuka Kiba. This way she'll have two sets of eyes on her and she'll be familiar with the trackers should anything go wrong."

There were nods of approval all around.

"All right, then it's agreed. Mia will stay within the perimeter of the base at all times and will be escorted by the Inuzuka boy. Any questions, girl?" The elder kage asked.

The girl in the center of the room pivoted back and forth on her feet, clearly uncomfortable. Gaara was curious as to what question she had that made her feel that way. After another moment, she looked up, her eyes locking onto Gaara's.

Because of his affinity, Gaara wasn't very fond of forests. To be more accurate he couldn't stand them. It was a miracle he made it through his chunnin exam, and he was still dealing with the current location of the base. There wasn't enough sand in a forest, and they he felt claustrophobic. But as he stared into the deep green eyes of the girl in front of him, he felt curiously calm.

"Umm…" Mia started, clearly unsure.

Gaara realized he had been staring at her too long. He mentally chastised himself for losing focus.

"Yes?" he asked dryly.

"What's a shinobi?" she asked.

Gaara could see from the corner of his eye the confused expression of some in the room. It was a strange question for anyone who grew up in this world, the shinobi world. But then again, Mia wasn't from this world. She had seen some basics of what a shinobi was, but obviously she wouldn't just know what they were.

"A shinobi is one who trains their minds and bodies, studying different skills, ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, in order to protect their village and their country. They follow the ninja way."

"N-ninja!" she exclaimed.

She was comical. Her voice cracked slightly, her eyes widened beyond belief, and her mouth hung open. Gaara heard Kankuro snicker behind him, but restrained from laughter himself.

"Oh, my God! That explains everything!" the girl squealed.

The Raikage looked questioningly at her. "How does that explain everything?"

Mia shook her hands in an exasperated motion, like it was obvious.

"I understood everything you guys were telling me, but I still couldn't figure out how any of this was possible. Ninjas fit. Ninja's can do anything! You guys are like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but real!" She explained.

This time, even Gaara couldn't stop the laugh that escaped his lips. Her whole demeanor changed when she was excited. There was no trace of sarcasm in her voice, no challenge in her stance. There was only admiration in her tone. Gaara couldn't help but feel a bit proud that he was part of something this girl admired.

"Are there ninja in your world, Mia-chan?" the Mizukage asked.

Mia shook her head, causing her brown hair to wave out.

"There used to be. In ancient Japan, ninjas were shadow warriors who were used for secret assassinations. They were killed as Japan became westernized. Ah, that is when they became more like other countries. Now, ninjas only exist in fairytales."

"Tsk. This is no fairytale, girl. It would be unwise to treat it as such. Now, if we are done here, there is work to do." The Tsuchikage said.

"Onoki is right, we need to get back to work." The Hokage said before turning to Hatake Kakashi. "Kakashi, take Mia and go find Kiba."

Before the Copy Nin could reply, Gaara saw his brother step forward.

"I'll take her, Hokage-sama. I was going to look for him anyway to spar." Kankuro said.

Kankuro's idea of 'sparring' with his boyfriend never involved any actual training. Gaara kept his thoughts to himself, though. It wasn't exactly something the Hokage needed to know.

She nodded once in consent then left the tent. Kakashi was about to follow her but stopped. He walked over to Mia, leaned down, bringing his masked lips to her ear. Gaara couldn't hear what the older nin whispered to the girl, but whatever it was brought a warm smile to her pink lips. Kakashi then stood up, scrunched his eye in a smile, and left.

The boy kage was shocked as Mia turned to face him, giving him that warm smile, ignoring the other kages as they walked by her.

"Thanks" she simply said before she and Kankuro walked out of the tent.

The red head watched as his brother walked away with the strange girl from a different world. There were a lot of questions that the session still hadn't answered, but one bothered Gaara more than the others. Why was it that one word from her made his chest constrict?

* * *

><p><strong>AN (part two)**- About Mia: With this character I really want to stress the difference between being pure hearted and being naive. In a lot of anime, the pure hearted girl is also very naive. Mia isn't naive. She's a down to earth wise ass who always has a comeback and has the temper to match. She curses like a sailor and will make innuendos with the best of them, but she's still got a child's heart. She gets excited easily and is optimistic. She knows fairytales don't come true, but that doesn't stop her from enjoying them. So if it seems like she's contradicting herself, I apologize. I am trying my best to avoid that. Please bear with me, I'm learning.

**Thank you for all your support so far. It makes me really happy! Please Review! :D **


	5. Chapter 4

******AN: Hey everyone! Happy New year:) Sorry for such a long wait. Procrastination is truly a curse lol. I've already started on the next chapter, so it shouldn't be as long until the next update. Also, I wanted to thank Moka-girl for her very helpful insight in the story. Well then, onward! Enjoy the chapter 4 ****guys!**

**Warning: not so much cursing in this chapter, so this isn't much of a warning :/ Fluff and Lemons to come later. Oh there is some boyXboy (not hard) so if you don't like it, skip it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. **

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><p><strong>Kiba POV<strong>

"Come on, boy! If we don't hurry, we'll miss dinner!" Inuzuka Kiba shouted at his large, furry companion. Akamaru barked in response as he sped up to match Kiba's pace.

The two sped on the path that wound around the base and breakneck speeds. They had just finished their training for the day. Kiba and his ninken had been practicing one of Tsume's new techniques since early afternoon, and both were starving. If they didn't hurry, the dining tent would close, and they'd have to wait until morning to eat.

_"Kami, that'd suck_" Kiba thought to himself while pushing himself faster. Kiba wasn't used to the rations that were put on all the food, and he didn't like it. Sure, he understood the need, but more often that not, he'd forget the time and be stuck going to bed hungry.

_"Not very healthy for a growing shinobi."_

Akamaru's excited barking pulled Kiba from his thoughts. He lifted his eyes to see the most glorious sight; the dining tent was still open!

"_Almost there….just a few more…_"

Suddenly, Kiba could no longer see the beautiful tent or smell the delicious food that was inside it. His eyes, nose, and mouth were filled with dirt as he face planted into the ground. Akamaru, usually very protective of him, was surprisingly calm about the fall.

"Yo, Kiba! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"_Well that explains why Akamaru didn't attack"_ Kiba thought bitterly.

He looked up from his place on the ground to see chakra strings wrapped around his ankles. Chocolate brown eyes followed the strings to their source; a tall, cute brunette with purple paint covering his face.

"Damn it, Kankuro. Can't you just call my name like a normal person!" Kiba yelled, trying to stand even though his legs were still tied.

"But babe, I DID call your name." Kankuro answered with a smirk. He then retracted the chakra strings, allowing his boyfriend to stand properly.

"Yea, after you tripped me" Kiba grumbled. "So what's so important that couldn't wait till after dinner?" he asked.

"Don't pout, you aren't that cute." Kankuro teased. "And she is what is so important." The Suna nin jerked his thumb over his shoulder so Kiba would notice the girl behind him who was petting Akamaru.

"Who's she?"

"Your new assignment" Kankuro

"What? I don't have time to train a newbie. Give her to someone else."

He could not believe that Kankuro thought he'd be okay babysitting a chunin. One look at the girl in her casual clothes was enough to tell Kiba that she was undisciplined and a stranger to hard training. No way would he get stuck with some girl so bad she couldn't even train herself.

Kiba turned towards the dining tent. But once again his attempts at eating dinner were thwarted, this time by a choking tug on his collar.

"Excuse me," the girl started "but it's not like I chose this either. Tsunade specifically said I'd have to stay with you, so we're both just gonna have to deal."

"Tsunade-sama ordered this?" Kiba groaned "Why?"

"It's a long story" the girl replied. "But the good news is you don't have to train me."

"Long story, huh? Can it be told over dinner? The tent closes in fifteen minutes."

"Ugh, I guess no matter where you are, boys will always think with their stomachs." She said

"Ya know," Kiba said as he made his way towards the food, "I would be offended by that, but I'm just too damn hungry."

As he lifted the flap at the opening of the text, Kankuro slung one arm around him, the other around the girl.

"Alright, I'll let you two get acquainted. I've got some things to take care of. Mia, please try not to insult my boyfriend."

"I'll behave if he will."

Kiba turned to look Kankuro in the eye. They hadn't had much time together in the past few days, and Kiba didn't want their only interaction that day to be because of a third wheeling girl.

"Can't you just stay for a little bit?" he asked, widening his chocolate eyes just enough for Kankuro to notice. As much as he hated it, Kiba was not above using puppy eyes to get his way. And his way involved him, Kankuro, and some alone time after dinner.

Kankuro chuckled and leaned in to give Kiba a peck on the cheek.

"Sorry, babe, but I can't. I'll see you later, though."

Kankuto then left the way he had come, leaving Kiba on babysitting detail.

"Come on." He said to the girl, tugging slightly on her sleeve.

"Wait, is your dog allowed in here?" she asked looking confused

"Yea. Akamaru is a ninken, duh."

"_What kind of shinobi doesn't recognize a ninken? Is she a civilian? That would explain a bit. What the hell is she fricken doing here, then_?" Kiba thought.

They made their way to the front of the tent and grabbed trays. Kiba loaded his with some of everything; ramen, fried rice, grilled beef, and some extra for Akamaru. After looking around for a bit, he couldn't find any of his friends, so Kiba sat at an empty table and waited for his charge to sit.

After a few minutes of silently enjoying the pure bliss of filling his empty stomach, Kiba looked up at the girl.

"Okay, so what's your deal? Why does Tsunade want me to babysit you?"

"Well let's start with square one. If you couldn't tell, I'm not a shinobi." She said.

"Yea, I figured that out for myself. I'm not a moron." Kiba said, his eyes narrowing. _"Well, I just figured that out, but she doesn't need to know that."_ He thought.

"Just checking" the girl answered with a shrug. "I need to know the person protecting me is actually able to think." A smirk crossed her face, her eyes daring Kiba to attack back.

"Good thing I can, then. So how about we get to square two?" Kiba gave her a smirk of his own. _"Protect her?"_

"Square two is complicated, so keep up. I assume you know Madara Uchiha?" she asked.

"Duh, he's kinda the whole reason we're here."

"Yea, I know." She mumbled. "Basically, he managed to create a wormhole with a…jutsu? Whatever it's called, he used it to rip space and fall into my world. Then he kidnapped me and brought me here. Now, the kages want you to keep an eye on me to protect me from him."

Kiba stared at the girl across from him for a few moments.

"HUH?" he said.

The girl sighed. Putting her head into her palms, she covered her eyes as she spoke again.

"Okay lemme explain it like this. I'm from a different world; one without shinobi. Madara found a way into that world and took me from it. Now I'm stuck here until further notice. Your job is just to make sure Madara doesn't get me. Got it?"

"_Another world?"_ Kiba thought, "_Was that even possible? How could it be?"_

Kiba discreetly sniffed the air. He couldn't smell any tension or guilt on her that could be associated with lying. Akamaru seemed to like her, and Kiba always trusted his ninken's instincts. Besides, the kages clearly believed her, so she must be telling the truth. No wonder they want her watched. In tense times like these, a girl who was weak or ignorant was practically walking around with a target on her back.

He felt slightly guilty for being so short with her before. Like she said, she really didn't choose to be here, and it's not like she did this just to bother him.

"A different world, huh?" he said, trying to sound nonchalant as he turned his attention back to his food. "Must be some hell of a culture shock."

"Hahaha, you could say that, yea." She laughed. After sneaking some of her food to Akamaru, she looked back up at Kiba. "Hey, we started this all wrong didn't we?"

"Whadda mean?" he asked.

"I've been kinda rude to you so-"

"Kinda?"

"Oh, shut up, you weren't exactly a picture of charm either. If we're gonna be spending time together, I figure I should at least be civil and properly introduce myself. I'm Mia." She said, extending her hand to him.

Kiba gave her a toothy grin. "Kiba" he said grasping her hand in his.

"Bark!" Kiba looked down at Akamaru who was nudging his leg. _"Don't forget about me_" he whined, although only Kiba could understand him.

Looking back at Mia, Kiba cocked his head at the white ninken. "And this is my partner, Akamaru."

"Partner?" Mia questioned.

"Yea, he's a ninken, so he fights with me. My clan is known for raising ninja dogs."

"Oh my god, that's so cool!" Mia squealed, her high pitch hurting Kiba's ears a bit. He'd have to explain to her about volume control.

"I have a dog at home. He's adorable, but he is so lazy. You must be really good to train you dog to be a ninja."

"Thanks, but I'm still learning myself, as my Ma always reminds me. So you like dogs? Then I think we'll get along no problem."

Mia smiled at that. "Good. It'd be a problem if my guardian didn't like me."

"HEY, YOU TWO! DINNER'S OVER, SO GET OUT!"

One of the cooks had come out to clean up and was walking over to where Kiba and Mia sat. The two had been so focused on their conversation, they hadn't noticed everyone had cleared out of the tent.

"I think that's our cue to leave." Mia said, standing up from the bench.

"I think your right."

The two made their way out of the tent, followed closely by Akamaru. Kiba noticed Mia slow down to walk next to the ninken, placing a hand gently on his head. The big white dog nudged his head into her leg.

"Remind you of yours?" Kiba asked

"Hmm, kinda. They couldn't be more different, but I guess being near Akamaru is something familiar."

He kept quiet, letting Mia reminisce about her home. Touchy feely moments weren't exactly his strong point, so he didn't go there. He found that girls hit him less if he didn't speak when they were upset.

Finally, Mia broke the silence. "So, where are we going now?" she asked.

"To my tent. It'll be completely dark soon, so I'm assuming you'd want to be indoors."

"HUH!" Mia exclaimed, louder than necessary. Kiba winced as he covered his ears yet again. He noticed Akamaru had deftly removed himself from Mia's side.

"Ugh control your voice. Loud, high pitch sounds like that really hurt, ya know." Kiba grumbled.

"Sorry, I was just a little, um, shocked." She said

"About what?"

"Well you said we were going back to your tent…does that mean we'll be sharing a tent?" A slight blush crept over Mia's cheeks as she looked Kiba in the eye.

Her gaze and train of though forced a blush onto Kiba's own tan face.

"Oh, um, I hadn't thought about that." He answered truthfully. He really didn't want to share a tent with her. Nothing against Mia, but she'll already be taking up most of his time, and Kiba liked his privacy when he could get it. Besides, what would happen if Kankuro came to visit, as he sometimes did?

"You didn't think of it?" She asked. "Come on, guard, don't half-ass your job now." She said with a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Shaddup, it's not like I had a lot of notice here." Kiba spat back.

They kept their banter going the rest of the way to the supply tent, where they picked up necessities for Mia, namely a sleeping tent. Finally, they reached Kiba's temporary home.

"It would probably be best to pitch yours next to mine, just in case." He said.

"Thanks for that, Captain Obvious."

"Anything to help."

"You wanna help? Then help me get this thing up."

"What!" Kiba said in disbelief. "You can't even pitch your own tent?"

"Dude, I live in the city. Away from nature. The closest I've been to camping outside was sitting on my roof during the summer. Psh, knowing how to pitch a tent." She scoffed, as if it were the dumbest thing.

Kiba sighed as he went to go help her. He knew that civilians from the village didn't leave very often, but even they knew basics like putting up a tent. What kind of place was her home?

After ten minutes of Kiba working and Mia failing at helping, the tent was up, and stable. Kiba handed her a bedroll and an extra set of clothes he swiped from the supply tent.

He was about to leave when Mia stopped him.

"Hey, I know this can't be easy or convenient for you, so thank you. Honest, I really appreciate this." She said, her voice open and sincere.

Kiba grinned. "Yea you're right, it ain't convenient." He said, earning him a hardened look from Mia. "But I think I'll manage. 'Sides, I don't let my friends down."

Mia widened her eyes in surprise. "Oh, so we're friends now?" she asked.

"Yea, you should be flattered. G'night."

"Night."

Kiba was about to call Akamaru, who was curled comfortably on the bedroll, but decided against it. It would be best if one of them stayed with Mia during the night.

Inside his tent, Kiba folded himself into his blankets and shut his eyes to the world. It felt a bit weird without his dog by his side, but soon he was too tired to notice. After a few minutes, Kiba, who was somewhere between sleep and consciousness, caught a familiar scent nearby. Sure enough, not five minuets later, he felt another body slide into the blankets with him.

Kiba felt his boyfriend's arms slide around his waist and pull him back. Too tired to turn around, Kiba wiggled closer into Kankuro's embrace as the other kissed the back of his neck. Kiba was asleep within moments.

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><p><strong>Hope you liked it! Now for the blackmail- Reviews inspire me, so more reviews=quicker updates :) Thank you so much for reading <strong>


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